The Brains, The Battler, and The BA
by neaucleareactor5
Summary: SYOC (submit your own character) story, the likes of which you have never seen before. Join Adam Jaeger, younger brother of Hilda, on many journeys that take him across the regions, from old to new, meeting all kinds of new and old faces. Welcome to his life, the Game.
1. Introduction

**Hey there. Neaucleareactor5 here with a new story. This is just a test thing, to see how well I can integrate characters into a story, and to see how well I can write about a various number of characters. Don't worry, though, I will still be writing at my best, which I've been told is pretty good. Now, I'll get on with it. **

This is a SYOC (Submit Your Own Character) story. Be prepared to be part of a fiction the likes of which you've never seen before. Seriously. I'm stoked about it. Anyways, submit as many characters as you want, the guidelines will be at the bottom. For now, here's a little background info about the main character, Adam Jaeger.

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><p>Name: Adam Jaeger<p>

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Occupation: Owns and operates a security company.

Hometown: Numeva town, Unova. Moved to the Hoenn region when he was nine.

Pokemon: (So far) Combusken, Zangoose, Natu.

Personality: Very open minded, and not very book smart. Street smart, excellent at reading people. Enjoys sparring with people. Distant to his family, but still a very jovial guy, always laughing. Satisfied with his life, even if others aren't. Easily distracted, but focused and serious when the situation calls for it. A rebel.

Physical appearance: Black hair, though he dyes it blonde on occasion. Wears a black suit and red tie for professional business, and blue jeans and a t-shirt for casual wear. Very clean looking, though he will grow a beard on occasion.

Background: Lived in the Unova region until the age of nine, when he, his twin brother, and his mother moved to join his father in the Hoenn region. His medium-low test score earned him a Zangoose as his starter, rather than the three 'standard' that are reserved for the highest scoring students. Left on his journey around the Hoenn region, collecting two badges in nine months before calling it quits and just roaming. When he was merely seventeen, he began his security company, which he now runs successfully.

Family: Father (not in good relations); Mother (deceased for five years); Genius twin brother (works as an research scientist for a prestigious technology company. Decent relationship.); Elder sister, White (Hilda) Jaeger. (This is technically Hilda, the champion of Unova for one year before retiring and the Black/White Version female player. She tries to get along with Adam, who is distant to his family.)

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><p>So that's that. Anyways, here's a little background about the Pokémon 'test' that I mentioned in the background section. The test in this world is used to measure the competency for the kids, who begin their journeys at age 13. Lowest scoring kids receive a weaker, easier to handle Pokémon, while the higher scoring kids will receive stronger Pokémon, the top 3 kids in the class (a three month preparation course is taken) will receive the three starter Pokémon for each region.<p>

So yeah. There we go. Now comes the final part for this opening chapter. The SYOC form.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT FOR POKEMON. IF YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A POKEMON'S PERSONALITY, GIVE ME ONE OR TWO WORDS. THANKS.

**Name:**

**Age: **

**Gender: **

**Occupation (if applicable):**

**Personality:**

**Physical Appearance:**

**Hometown:**

**Pokemon:**

**Background:**

**Family Info:**

**Anything Else You Want To Add:**

Just post the characters in the reviews, or PM me for them. And prepare for a wild ride.


	2. Louie Louie

**Hey. So here's the first chapter. Don't forget to review, I really do enjoy those. Anyways, upwards and onwards. Thanks to The Gentleman Ghost, Twighlightcrystalflame, RussianXRouletteXValentineXoXo, mystic47, SANZOKU-RASSHU, Mage, 666funtimes, SputnikHolly, Legacy918, and Wildlian for the OC's. If I forgot anyone, tell me and I'll get your name in next chapter. And don't forget to tell me how you feel at the end of this. ENJOY!**

**Oh, P.S, don't forget that as of now, there is no OC limit. Go nuts. Might change in the future, but I doubt I'll be rejecting any.**

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><p><strong>R.E: No, Adam did not catch Combusken in the wild. Since it's not really that intricate of a plot-point, I'll just tell you. He received the Combusken as a Torchic from his twin brother, who never had any desire to be a trainer anyways.<strong>

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><p><strong>Whoops, one last thing. Bold, in the story, is telepathy. <strong>_Italics _**is speaking through an electronic device, or for emphasis on a specific word. **

"Holy crud!" Adam yelled, leaping away from the edge of the curb, cursing the whole time. "Watch where you're going, moron!" He roared, shaking a fist at the cab that had almost run him over. "Freaking cab drivers." He muttered, walking across the street once he was satisfied that he was not in danger of being splattered by idiotic cab drivers.

"_What happened?" _Janice, his secretary and only employee, asked over the Bluetooth headset. Adam silently pondered why most secretaries seemed to be named Janice, or Jane, or something like that before responding.

"Nothing, really. Some idiot tried to splatter me with a taxi. Now, as I was saying; Arceus, am I glad I'm finally moving up in the world. No more of these cruddy little rinky-dink jobs that have low pay and provide very little credibility." He complained, looking around the port city of Slateport. It was a dreary day in a dreary town, no real interesting landmarks besides the museum, which Adam had never had any real particular interest in. Why go see some old, dead thing when the world is all around you?

"_Well we don't know that yet. We'll have to perform a few jobs for these guys first before they actually become a full-on client. Speaking of which, how's your current job going?" _Janice asked. I sighed and shook my head, still walking.

"Hm. Pretty good, I've been tailing this guy for what seems like hours, and there's been no sign of anything out of the ordinary. Not letting him know is a real pain, too. I mean, come on! Why can't I let the guy I'm supposed to be guarding know I'm guarding him?" He complained, scratching the back of his head. The man he was guarding, whose name was Yuki Korona, a 17 year-old boy, was about a twenty yards in front of Adam, well out of earshot. Most people would be closer, but Adam wasn't most people.

"_Idiot. Do you want him to hear you?" _Janice asked. Adam remained silent, quietly observing the surroundings. Minus a few small groups of random people and a group of teens with their pants sagging, there was no one to take note of. Yuki stopped walking and turned towards a café, entering and simply sitting at an empty table without speaking to anyone. Adam kept walking forwards, his dress shoes clicking against the ground. While on missions, he preferred to look professional. About ten yards away, through the window, Adam began to pick out the physical aspects of Yuki. Black hair. Black jacket. Looked like a loner. As Adam passed he caught a glimpse of crimson eyes.

"Creepy." Adam said with a shudder.

"_What is?" _Janice asked. Adam shrugged and kept walking, moving further away from Yuki.

"That dude back there has red eyes. I've never seen that before. Have you?" Adam asked. Janice was silent for a second, thinking, before answering.

"_Yes, actually. It's a very rare trait that originated from the Kanto region. Considering he was born in Littleroot, I assume their family immigrated there a few generations back. I heard the indigenous people of Kanto originally had red eyes, but they were almost all killed off by various diseases." _Janice said. Adam laughed.

"See?! That's why I like you! Filled with all kinds of useless information!" Adam said. Someone caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, but he kept walking. Janice huffed over the phone, but Adam stopped her from retorting. "Janice, is there any activity?"

"_What? No. I don't….wait, no. I'm picking up something. A group of five guys is approaching Yuki. How do you do that? It's like you don't even need me." _Janice grumbled. Adam snorted and spun one hundred and eighty degrees without missing a beat, facing the café. Twenty yards away.

"That's not true. You're my loving, caring, kind subordinate that I wouldn't trade for the whoooole world." He teased.

"_Shut it, Jaeger. Focus on the task at hand." _Janice snapped. Adam chuckled and slowed down a bit, watching the five men approach the café. _"Jaeger, move! Get in there and stop them! If any harm befalls Yuki, the client will be pissed!" _Janice snapped. Adam smirked, shaking his head.

"No, something scared them off." He said. Their behavior changed slightly before they entered, changing from an 'I'm going to kill you stance,' to a 'crud, that won't work' stance. "What could've done that? Witnesses?" Adam silently mused. There were people around, so that could be it. When he got closer, he saw that someone had sat next to Yuki. It was a short girl, even sitting she was probably a head shorter than Yuki, with waist length red hair. Even from here, he could see that she too had red eyes. Her shirt was red with some sort of pink Pokémon on it, and she wore a purple skirt. She seemed to be talking in earnest with Yuki, who passively nodded every once in a while to her comments.

"_Hmm. Ok, well, the girl sitting next to Yuki was in the report. Appears that she's a close friend of Yuki. Name is Rosa Toris; age 16. That might be what scared them off. The rest of the characters around here don't seem like the type to snitch, so I'd bet they're waiting until Yuki is alone to strike." _Janice deduced. Adam thought for a moment, nodded, and then grinned.

"Janice, you have control of all the traffic lights in the area, right? Security cameras too?" Adam asked, watching as a few random cars drove by. This wasn't the most popular end of town. Why those two kids had picked here of all places to meet, he had no clue.

"_That's a stupid question. Of course I do, who do you think I am?" _Janice snapped. Adam chuckled and shrugged, stopping just out of sight from the door.

"Just thought I'd ask. Now, as soon as I give you the signal, I want you to kill the security cameras and turn all the traffic lights red." Adam ordered. Janice was silent, getting the message. Adam didn't want any external variables, and cars might be part of a problem. Plus, with surveillance neutralized, he didn't have to worry about the police hunting him down and interrogating him. Shady parts of town were indeed his territory; nothing could touch Adam here. Adam walked forwards and entered the café, earning a sidelong glance from Yuki. Why would a man in a business suit be in this part of town? _Because I'm protecting you, kid. _Adam thought, his eyes scanning the inside of the café almost absently.

It wasn't much, just a dinky little ghetto café that smelt of bad coffee and urine. There was a bar with a green counter, covered with innumerable coffee stains, and about four booths, one of which was occupied by Yuki and Rosa. A grimy man in an apron stood behind the counter, while five other guys, punks who were obviously part of a gang, were scattered around the room. They all wore white tank tops and sagging pants, with tattoos covering most of their arms. Even to the untrained eye, it seemed strange enough, but to Adam, it was like someone had put a large neon sign up that said 'I'm here to attack someone.'

"_Amateurs." _Janice scoffed. _"They entered as a group, why wouldn't they sit as a group? It's like they're not even trying to hide that they're here to beat the shit out of him. I bet Yuki's even noticed." _Adam frowned.

"Janice, language." He said calmly. _Though she's right. They're not trying to hide. _

"_Quit being an annoying prick." _Janice snapped. Adam sighed and shook his head, using the slight motion to get a grasp of the weapons the five had in their possession. One had a switchblade that he kept thumbing; another was flipping a pair of brass knuckles around in his pocket. The rest were either hiding their weapons or didn't have any. Adam sat at the bar and ordered a coffee and bagel, which was brought out to him fairly quickly. He cringed at the taste of the coffee, not even daring to taste the bagel. That thing looked harder than diamond. Everyone in the room was silent, and the greasy man silently slipped into the kitchen.

"Let's go, Rosa." Yuki said, standing up. Rosa nodded and bounced along next to him as if she didn't understand the situation. The young punks watched them go and waited a few seconds. One glared at Adam, undoubtedly thinking that he ruined their plans to ambush Yuki in the café, and took a step forward.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Adam said calmly, taking the Bluetooth out of his ear and swirling the coffee with a spoon. All five of them froze, turning towards him.

"What did you just say?" One of them asked, in full 'gangster' accent.

"I said that if you value all of your limbs, you'll sit down and leave Yuki alone." Adam said, turning around and smiling at the five of them. They were staring at him in disbelief. Then, one by one, they burst out into laughter.

"Hahaha! You hearing this, man? This cracker's crazy! What you gonna do, bitch? There's five of us and only one of you." The one with the switchblade said. Adam eyed them carefully, judging their skill level. None of them were up to snuff. He could tell just by looking in their eyes. If anything, this was probably only their third or fourth time doing a job for the gang. Adam slowly stood up, adjusting his red tie. He wouldn't even need to unbutton his jacket for this. The only thing he was worried about was blood stains on his good, black suit.

"First, I'm going to start with you, switchblade. Then I'm going to go after knuckles. The rest won't get far." Adam said, pulling an iPod out of his pocket. He slowly unwound the white headphones, putting one bud in his ear and pressing play. Louie Louie by The Kingsmen started playing.

"The F**k?!" Switchblade said incredulously. Adam mentally censored the curse word, reading the boy's lips. There was no need for that kind of language. "This b***h is gonna die!" He said. Adam sighed and stood up, listening to the lyrics of the song as he moved, moving to the music. Switchblade lunged at him, holding his blade backwards in his hand instead of straight. Simple to block. Adam stepped inside of his wild chop, catching his wrist. With two fingers, Adam quickly dispatched him by striking his temple, knocking him out cleanly. Another man came at him next, swinging a haphazard fist. Adam let it brush past his nose, barely clipping him, and moved with lightning speed, slamming one knee into his groin and a devastating chop to the back of his neck.

Another swing buzzed past the back of his head as he moved for the chop, barely missing him and causing Adam to whirl, launching a kick and catching the guy in the throat. He could kick very high. Knuckles moved next, but Adam didn't give him a chance to launch an attack. He thrust a single finger into a small indent in the neck right where the throat meets the chest, immediately causing knuckles to retch and collapse. Three. Adam turned to the other two, who were hesitant to attack. Understandably so.

"_Sail that ship about, all alone. Never know if I make it home. Louie Louie, oh no no no." _Not even a minute into the song. Adam struck first, performing the same neck maneuver on both of them, watching as the crumpled to the floor. After a second, he took out the headphones and silently wound them around the iPod, sticking the music device in his pocket after pausing the song. The five boys lay on the ground, retching or unconscious. Adam grabbed the Bluetooth and stuck it in his ear, calling over his shoulder as he did so.

"Clean up in the lobby! Someone dropped a load of disappointment on the ground. It stinks and is very unsightly." He called, walking out of the room. The grimy man walked out of the kitchen calmly and only stared at the mess, probably having seen this kind of thing before.

"_Satisfied? Yuki and Rosa have already left. Last I saw they were heading downtown on Rosa's Togekiss. What are you going to do? You don't have a flying type capable of catching them." _Janice said. Adam shrugged and pulled a pokeball off of his belt. It wasn't the standard pokeball, instead it was completely black. It blended in with his suit better that way, making it easier to hide. All of his pokeballs were that way.

"Natu, out you come." Adam ordered. The small, psychic Pokémon chirped happily as it was let out, flapping around a bit before landing on his shoulder. "Use teleport, get me to the hotel." He ordered. The Pokémon chirped and closed its eyes, concentrating on expanding its psychic aura. Adam felt a slight tingling, and suddenly appeared in the middle of a crowded street in front of a rather large hotel. A few people recoiled, but kept walking. Teleports were something everyone had seen before. A Togekiss flew overhead, landing on the roof of the building.

"_Lucky guess." _Janice grumbled as he recalled Natu.

"Not really. We checked into the same hotel, and it was only a matter of time before they came back. No real problem here. Except…." Adam paused, thinking.

"_Except what?" _Janice asked. Adam shook his head and walked through the sliding glass doors and onto the marble flooring.

"I was a little sloppy back there. I might have to train a bit more with Vincent when I get back." Adam said, rolling his right shoulder.

"…_you took them out without a scratch. You didn't even unbutton your jacket." _Janice said. Adam frowned and nodded to the receptionist, heading towards the elevator.

"Yeah, but one of them almost got me. If he hadn't mistimed his punch I would've been hit in the back of the head. Luckily I jerked a little bit, or else I might actually have a headache right now." Adam said. He could almost see Janice shudder at the mention of headaches.

"_Yeah, maybe you do need to train a bit more. I didn't get to see that part, but I'd rather you not get a headache." _ Janice said. _"You know what happens when you get headaches." _Adam chuckled at this, standing in an empty elevator as it headed towards the fourteenth floor, where his room was.

"Yeah. When was the last time I got one of those? It was Goldenrod, wasn't it? That was fun." He said, shaking his head and laughing at the memory.

"…_You're a sick f**k, you know that, right?" _

"Janice! Language!" Adam snapped. Janice muttered a curse under her breath, coming across as a crackle to Adam. There was a beep from his phone, startling Adam a little. "Sorry, got to take this." Adam said after checking his pokenav, the standard phone for civilian use. It wasn't the phone he used for business, that would be too risky. No, this one was for personal calls, from family and friends. He removed the Bluetooth and put the pokenav to his other ear. "Hello?"

"_Adam! It's Hilda! It's been so long since we last talked! How are you?" _Adam winced at the voice, even though it was sweet and melodic. He hated dealing with family. Always had. Hilda was the only one he could tolerate, even over his twin, Jeffery.

"Hey, Hilda." Adam said, his voice monotone, wondering why he had to do this now. "I'm fine. Doing a job. Kinda busy."

"_You always say that." _Hilda pouted. _"Can't we catch up sometime? It's been at least two years since we've last seen each other." _Adam frowned and checked his watch, the little hand on his Rolex ticking away. They might be downstairs by now….nah, he still had time.

"It's only been seven months, Hilda. You call me at least once a month." Adam said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Wasn't that enough talking? That's all the time he needed to tell her everything he wanted to, and to listen to all that he wanted to hear.

"_No, it's not! Jeff calls me at least once a week to chat, and he says that you never call him! Dad says the same! You're too distant, Adam. We should get together sometime. As a family." _Hilda insisted.

"No." Adam's response was instantaneous. "You know what my relations are like with Dad. If that's all you have to say, I need to get going. I'm going to be meeting with an important client soon, and I need to be ready." He said flatly. Hilda was silent for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

"_You know, Adam, I'm only trying to help. You'll get too cold if you don't talk to people. I know you aren't on the best terms with Dad, but maybe if you tried, this time would be different. He's been especially distant lately. Would you try it? For me?" _Hilda asked sweetly. Adam sighed and shook his head, relenting.

"Fine." He said. "I'll think about it. That's the only compromise you're going to get." Despite the indefinite answer, Hilda seemed overjoyed.

"_Thank you, Adam! I'm sure it'll be fun! So when should we-" _Adam cut Hilda off, not wanting to listen to her rants any more than necessary.

"Just email the details to me later. I might show up. _Maybe. _Now, like I said before, I'm a little busy. Got some work to do. Talk to you later." Adam said, ending the call and putting the pokenav back in his pocket. After a moment of silence, he put the Bluetooth back into his ear, only to hear nothing. Not that he wanted to talk anyways. Soon the elevator came to a halt, and Adam stepped out into the hallway, heading towards his room. He slid his key card into the electronic lock and stepped inside for a brief moment, only to grab the black briefcase sitting close to the door. The rest of the room was simplistic, with a single queen sized bed, a TV, a mini fridge, and a bathroom. Nothing extraordinary. He couldn't afford extraordinary hotels. Not yet, at least.

"_Adam, get to the roof." _Janice said suddenly. Adam immediately headed towards the elevator, which was luckily being held open by a business man. _"It looks like Yuki and Rosa were ambushed by some other punks. They were waiting outside of Yuki's room for him, and managed to get them both back up to the roof for a battle." _Janice explained. Adam sighed, shaking his head and hitting the roof button. The elevator reached all the way to the roof because of flying Pokémon, as many people preferred birds over planes. Not the majority, but enough to make them install an elevator to the roof in skyscrapers. Now there was only to hope that no one else tried to get on and impede Adam's progress.

Luckily, no such thing happened. The elevator lurched to a halt at the top floor, the sounds of battle echoing around outside. Adam knew what kind of situation they were in before the doors clicked open. Six enemies, each with two or three Pokémon, and not all that skilled either. However, their numbers might be sufficient to press Yuki and Rosa. The door opened and Adam stepped out, already putting a single ear bud in his ear. For Pokémon battles, he only used one ear bud, not both. Louie Louie picked up where he left off.

"_Me gotta go. Ay-yi-yi-yi, I said. Louie Louie, oh baby. Me gotta go. Three nights and days I sail the sea…" _

The battle was happening on the other side of the small concrete building where the elevators arrived, so Adam remained unseen. A small wind blew, and an amazing view of the city could be seen. Ignoring this, Adam he slowly crept around the building, past the three elevator doors, peering around the corner to fully examine the situation. He chuckled and shook his head, standing back a bit to watch the battle clearer. Yuki and Rosa were facing off against seven opponents, Adam had missed one, who were dressed in poorly made replicas of the Team Magma costume. It was a scare tactic, an attempted replication of one of the two fanatical terrorist groups that had plagued the region but a few years ago, but even an amateur could see the difference between these idiots and the real thing.

First off, the hood was wrong. What should've been the red hood that only reached to the middle of the chest was more like a hoodie, zipped up and with an M on the right breast. Plus, the red was much darker. Adam forced himself to stop picking out the faults in their disguises, instead focusing on the battle. Yuki and Rosa were just out of sight, but their Pokémon could be seen. There was a Flareon and an Umbreon standing in front of a group of five Mightyena, while the Togekiss and an Emolga fought with a Swellow and a Pelipper. The battle was highly in favor of Yuki and Rosa, despite the number disadvantage.

"Flareon, flamethrower!" Rosa shouted, droning out Yuki's quiet order. A jet-stream of fire and a ball of pure shadow (Adam assumed from the Umbreon) flew towards the group of Mightyena, resulting in the smell of scorched fur and howls of pain. "Now, Flareon and Togekiss! Use the Flame Tornado!" Rosa yelled with glee. Flareon and Togekiss ran forwards, fire billowing from the former's mouth. Togekiss threw and airslash at the Mightyena, which only strengthened the power of the fire spin Flareon had just fired, creating a fiery vortex of destruction.

Rosa's fighting style was complex, overly so in the fact that she didn't do anything without trying to make it beautiful and original. Every attack was a contest move; designed to look beautiful, but sacrificing power because of it. Yuki's was more streamlined and simple, designed to avoid attacks while dealing multiple low-damage attacks before a decisive blow was dealt. However, he left his defenses wide open. While their styles were far from perfect and full of holes, they were more than enough for the pathetic excuses of trainers that stood in front of them. Adam laughed and shook his head, heading back to the elevator as Yuki dealt the final blow to a Mightyena with a shadow ball from his Umbreon. No wonder he'd been able to take out that gang so easily. After all, that's why these guys were after them. He'd busted a small crime ring that was just starting to rise through the ranks, but Adam didn't remember why.

"_Looks like you didn't have to help after all." _Janice said. Adam nodded in disappointment, waiting for the elevator doors to open and silently hoping that Yuki and Rosa wouldn't come around the corner. The doors dinged open why they were busy with tying up the criminals, and Adam stepped inside, pressing the button for floor fifteen. He removed the earbud and frowned, shaking his head.

"I know. I'm disappointed." He said, crossing his arms and pouting.

"_Oh, quit it. You got to beat up those five idiots at the café, didn't you?" _She asked. Adam shrugged.

"Those guys weren't enough of a challenge. I need more action." He said. Janice sighed and said nothing. "Oh, by the way, why am I doing this?" Janice paused for a moment before starting.

"_He busted a crime ring, that's why those punks are after him. The reason for that though is so that he could get his sister out of the gang, and hopefully get her back on the straight and narrow. So we're guarding him on the sister's request against the remaining gang members." _Janice explained. Adam nodded, and the doors dinged open, letting him out onto the nineteenth floor.

"So who's the room's name under?" He asked, walking towards the closest door, labeled 1906, and opening it with a second electronic key card.

"_Under one of the gang member's names. He's only an underling so the police won't come barging in like Vermillion." _ Janice said. Adam shuddered at the memory, sitting down on a chair that was right next to the glass window that overlooked the city. His client stood on a street corner in front of the building, right in plain sight of the window. Perfect. From his spot, he could pick out the neon blue hat she wore, and figured the rest of her clothes were grey and dull, though he couldn't really tell from this distance without some sort of help.

"Hm." Adam said, unlocking the briefcase. He was about to enter the zone, so it was time to ask the question before it was too late. "So why exactly am I doing this bit then?" He asked, absently opening the briefcase and assembling what was inside. With one hand, pausing in his work, he slid the window open.

"_Little does Yuki know, but his actions gained the attention of some of the larger gangs, making him a target in the city. Our job is to scare him off. Don't ask her reasoning for hiring us, even I don't understand it." _Janice said. She laughed a little as Adam finished his work, taking out his iPod and putting one headphone in. This wasn't particularly tough, so he only used one headphone. Louie Louie started playing for the last time today, this time playing the last minute of the song. _"Oh, by the way, Yuki and Rosa are now walking towards the client. Watch for the signal."_ Adam finished assembling the equipment.

"Still, though." He said, standing up and holding binoculars to his eyes, watching the client. She had black hair, and wore grey work-out clothes. Rosa ran up to her and gave her a suffocating hug while Yuki tried to stifle a laugh at the surprised look on his sister's face. She managed to pry Rosa off of her and removed her cap, her eyes darting up towards Adam for a split second. That was the signal. "Hiring someone like _me, _to do _this kind _of job." Adam's eyes focused through the scope of the rifle, a custom piece of hardware that fit in a suitcase, fired .22 magnum rounds, and had a built in suppressor. It was one of his favorite guns. "I'm supposed to kill people, not just injure them."

In an instant, Adam adjusted for bullet drop and wind, fixing the sights on a spot about an inch from Yuki's chest. For anyone else, this would be a difficult shot. The gun fired without so much as a slight _pop, _remaining dead silent. Such was the perfect weapon for a professional hit man. Dead silent, and concealable. Size of the bullet doesn't matter, it's how you use it. Yuki took a step forwards, looking pale and sickly, before collapsing to the ground. Adam grinned.

"_Please tell me you didn't kill him." _Janice teased.

"Who do you think I am?" Adam scoffed. "I'm one of the best snipers in the business." He said, beginning to disassemble the rifle without looking, instead keeping an eye on the crowd that had gathered around Yuki. Rosa's screams could be heard all the way up here. "I hit him directly to the left of the chest, piercing his lung but not his heart. Definitely not fatal and nothing too dangerous considering that I used a .22 magnum. A bigger bullet might cause permanent damage, but this will only scare him. Besides, the ambulances will be here soon." He said, clicking the suitcase back together and standing up, closing the window. He took a rag out of his inside pocket and carefully removed his prints from the edges.

"_I know. It was a joke. If there's one thing you're exceedingly good at, it's long range weapons. Your accuracy with those things is insane. I'll contact the client in a moment." _Janice said. Adam nodded and slipped out of the room, removing his prints from the outside door handle as well.

"Awesome. How much are we getting from this?" He asked.

"_Five grand." _

"Huh. Well, it's a nice little distraction until the meeting at six. Can't wait to get some real action. Oh, by the way, do you think we should send him flowers?" Adam asked. "It wouldn't say anything fancy, just 'From your friendly neighborhood hit man. Sorry for shooting you. Don't mess with gangsters again. Get well soon!'." He said.

"_No." _Janice said flatly. Adam chuckled and stepped in the elevator. _"Besides, you need to prepare for your meeting at six tonight." _She said.

"Hm. Where are we going for dinner?" He asked.

"_A fancy restaurant called the Green Hydreigon." _The elevator lurched as it moved towards floor fourteen.

"I see. Will there be pancakes?"

"_No." _Janice said flatly. Adam frowned.

"Now that's just wrong."

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><p><strong>Well? How was it? Tell me what you think of length, detail, all that. And special thanks to Twighlightcrystalflame for the submission of Rosa and Yuki. Hope you enjoyed their appearance! Without them, starting this thing would've been much more difficult!<strong>

**And how do you feel now that you know Adam is, in fact, a hit man under the guise of owning a security company? Tell me if there's anyone special you want dead. Also, keep in mind that not all of your OCs will be targets. Some will be clients, while a select few will be friends of Adam's. Peace out!**

**Don't forget to review!**

**And don't forget to tell me if I was lacking in detail, grammar, or description anywhere or anything. That's important. I'm trying to improve my writing here, and every little bit helps. **


	3. Through the Fire and Flames

**IMPORTANT NOTE: The main character's name is Adam. I messed up and wrote his entire name as Alex for this chapter. Sorry if you read this before I fixed it, but it should be fixed now. Sorry if there was any confusion, that is completely my fault.**

**Well, here we are again, with Chapter 2. It normally doesn't take this long for me to get chapters out, but my other story is nearing the climax, so I'm trying to get a bunch of those chapters done too. Anyways, thank you all for the wonderful feedback, and that's just the first chapter! Thank you to Juliet's Shadow, Swag Giraffe, and Black Lightning Kaiju for the new OCs. Special thanks to Mage for the OC Machi Protz, the target for this chapter. And once again, let me know if I forgot you. Upwards and onwards!**

**Insert Line Break Here**

Adam glanced over the dossier, examining the target. His name was Machi Protz, age 20. As a travelling photographer, he had pissed off Adam's newest client by photographing some 'morally questionable' material, whatever that meant. The report said that he had auburn hair and wore a weather-beaten jacket that once had vivid colors plastered all over it. He was currently hiding out in a reclusive cave at Meteor falls, his climbing skills and wilderness survival skills allowing him to hide there undetected for months, as if he knew that he was going to become a target. Either that or he was trying to catch the hatching of a wild Bagon, an event that hadn't been witnessed, let alone captured on camera, by humans ever before. He hadn't even used rock climb to get to the top, simply scaling the cave with his bare hands. Adam was impressed. He seemed like a fun guy. Adam nodded and closed the manila folder, handing it back to the well-dressed client sitting across from him. The dull hum of turbine engines could be heard outside the private jet, courtesy of his client. He got a ride to Fallarbor town.

"Will you accept the mission?" His client, Alice, asked leaning forwards and clasping her hands together. Adam nodded, lounging back in his chair and cracking his neck.

"Yep. Just drop me off at Fallarbor and I'll take him out." He said. Alice watched him carefully, examining his posture, attitude, everything. If there was anything that she found suspicious, she wouldn't hesitate to obliterate him. So far, she hadn't seen anything other than the fact that he was a bit too relaxed. Being a professional assassin was one of the most hazardous jobs out there, due to both clients and job types, so they were naturally more alert and aware of their surroundings. Adam wasn't exhibiting any of these traits. In fact, if she hadn't seen what he had done in Vermillion, she wouldn't have believed that he was a hit man.

"Just so you know, we will be watching your every action. If there is anything that might-" Adam cut Alice off at this point, waving his hand dismissively.

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. Say, do you have any more of that wine? It's by far the best I've ever had." Adam said. Alice blinked in surprise, and then glanced up at the burly butler/bodyguard standing next to her, nodding. He nodded back, his lumberjack beard rustling against his suit as he did so, and poured Adam another glass of red wine. "Ah, thanks. So what's the coin we're talking about here? Ten thousand?" Adam asked, taking the glass and sipping at it.

"Eighty." Alice said flatly. Adam choked. "The pictures Machi took represent a considerable threat to my superiors. If they were leaked, it would cost at least four times that to clear up the impending law suits through bribes, hits, and hiring hit men like you. They want Machi dead before that happens." Adam gaped at her, and then nodded, grinning.

"Alright! I haven't had that kind of scratch since Vermillion!" Adam grinned, taking a sip of wine. "Oooh, that's good stuff. Though I still prefer whiskey. Anyways, give me about….oh, twelve hours and he'll no longer be a problem." Alice watched him silently for a second before continuing.

"The methods are up to you. If you perform sufficiently, you will continue to be hired by my superiors for jobs. Understand?" She asked. Adam nodded, finishing his glass of wine and munching on a pretzel that sat in the glass bowl on the table between them.

"Got it." He said, scratching his head. "How long until we get to Fallarbor?"

"Thirty minutes." The bald guard said stoically.

"Thanks, Leif." Adam said. At the blank look, he continued. "Y'know, Leif Eriksson, the Viking? You kinda remind me of a Viking. Big and burly, and the beard completes the look." Another blank look. "Ah, forget it. Wake me when we get there." Adam muttered, reclining in his chair and closing his eyes, clasping his hands behind his head.

**Insert Line Break Here**

Adam stared at the entrance to the cave, dressed in a white tank top and cargo pants, a green backpack on his back. Inside were supplies he had picked up in Fallarbor, along with more assassin-y type supplies. In his ear was an earpiece that recorded everything he heard, and contacts in his eyes that recorded everything he saw, transmitting the data live to the client via a satellite dish in his bag. Real high-tech stuff. Next to him stood Alice and her Viking-like bodyguard, whom Adam would continue to call Leif even if he ever learned his true name.

"The easiest way to the top is through the cave." She said, adjusting her suit and pointing towards the cave entrance, a small door-like hole with a trail leading into it. Adam shielded is eyes against the sun and stared up at the craggy peak rising a few hundred yards above them. Meteor falls was by no means the largest mountain in Hoenn, but it was claimed to be one of the deadliest climbs in the region. A sheer cliff on all sides, it was only ever attempted by the craziest of climbers, the danger tripled by the fact that adult Salamence enjoyed hanging out near the top. The giant dragons weren't to be messed with full-grown, even the champion, Brandon, steered clear of them when he could. Wild, adult Salamence were way too much trouble to deal with, and way too aggressive.

"No, no, no." Adam chuckled, adjusting the blue rope he had strapped length-wise across his chest. "I'm climbing that." He said, pointing to the cliff. Alice stared at him like he was crazy, which was not a very off-point observation.

"Are you serious? You're going to climb _that?_" She asked. Adam nodded, a determined glint in his eye as he studied the mountain, already mapping the route. Alice huffed. "Fine. Just get the job done." She said, but Adam was already gone, walking towards the cliff completely determined. Placing one foot on a sturdy rock, Adam began to climb, gripping the plentiful number of ledges and handholds as he steadily made his way up. Alice and Leif watched him climb for a few minutes.

"I like him." Leif said in a deep, gravelly voice. Alice shook her head.

"Of course you do. Let's go." She said, turning and heading back down towards Fallarbor through the canyon; the only way to Meteor Falls outside of Rustboro. A number of trainers would probably try and battle them on their way back, being the pests that they were. Alice smirked. She enjoyed that, actually. Most were half-wits when it came to training, and she loved to see the look of defeat on their faces after she crushed them. That, in itself, was more rewarding than any amount of money she could receive.

Adam watched them disappear into the canyon from fifty feet in the air, already enjoying the climb. The canyon itself looked like a jagged scar in the bleak countryside, leading from the river near Fallarbor to Meteor Falls, where it opened up into a meadow-like area about a hundred feet from the mouth of the cave. The only thing it was lacking was grass, or else it would truly be a meadow. Adam shrugged, adjusting his grip and starting to climb again, noticing that the handholds slowly got smaller and smaller the further up he went. A single white cloud floated in the blue sky above him, while a gentle breeze cooled him off. Already, his arms were glistening with sweat.

A hundred feet up, and Adam found that he was holding on by his fingertips, straining his hands to no end. He grinned and kept climbing, enjoying the challenge. _It's been a while since I've done anything like this._ Adam mused, taking a breather on a more stable hand-and-foothold. _I really should do this more often. It's fun. Difficult, but fun. _He looked up at the sky and shook his head, muttering to himself.

"If I had a flying type, it'd be a simple matter to get to the top." He said, and then shook his head. No, that would be too risky with wild Salamence around. There's a reason so few Pokémon, including flying types, could be found near Meteor Falls. If you pissed off a Salamence, all that would be left would be a pile of ashes. "What about Natu….? Nah, I'll do it. Quit thinking about quitting, Adam." He chided himself, letting go of the cliff with one hand and leaning out, peering at the horizon. He was at least two hundred yards up, not that great of progress for two hours of work. At this rate it would take him until just before dark to get to the top; another three hours of climbing. He sighed and turned back to climb, determination surging through him.

He spent that time to think about his target, Machi. How would he kill him? It seemed too straightforward to shoot him, and besides, that was much too suspicious. In a place like Meteor Falls, accidents are bound to happen. No, he couldn't push him off a cliff. That was too suspicious as well, plus, Adam still had to get down, and climbing down after a dead body wasn't what he would call stealthy. An hour passed, and Adam was still struggling to get up the cliff, the handholds becoming fewer and far between. Multiple times, he had to backtrack because he found himself at an impasse, with nowhere to go but down. The sun had just touched the horizon when Adam reached the top, hauling himself up over the rim with shaking limbs. He lay on his back, staring up at the fiery orange sky in triumph and grinning like a maniac. He pumped his fist in the air in silent celebration.

"Heh. Haha, I win, stupid mountain." He said, unaware of the figure watching him. Slowly, Machi slipped out from behind the rock that he was hiding behind, grinning at Adam. Having made the climb himself, he knew how arduous the climb was, and was genuinely impressed that someone else had succeeded in climbing it freehand.

"Nice job, dude." Machi said, earning a lazy look from Adam, who waved his hand as he tried desperately to calm his racing heart and labored breathing.

"Thanks. It's no big deal. Easy, actually. I just think I'm going to lie here until my heart explodes, thank you very much." Adam wheezed. Machi grinned and shook his head, his left hand behind his back as he extended his right. Adam took note of this, and took the guy's hand, getting pulled to his feet. A camera hung from Machi's neck, an expensive looking Nikon, but otherwise the guy looked exactly like the picture in the file. A stupid grin on his face, a weather-beaten-yet-colorful jacket, auburn hair, brown eyes, and a borderline feminine/masculine face.

"Sure thing, dude. Name's Machi Protz. You?"

"Adam Jaeger."

"Nice to meet you. Now c'mon, we need to get out of here before a Salamence roasts us. Trust me, I've had a few close calls since I've been up here. Mama should be coming back soon. It's even worse since the egg is going to hatch soon. Mama chased off all the others for the hatching. But I'll explain more when we get back to my camp." Machi said rapid-fire. Adam blinked in surprise, taken aback by the sudden influx of information. So he was up here to try and witness the hatching of a wild Bagon. In a flash, Machi grabbed Adam by the wrist and started to half-drag, half-carry Adam towards the center of the plateau. It wasn't very big, maybe three hundred yards across at the widest point, with no vegetation whatsoever, but it was covered with a silvery sheen that Adam had never seen before, looking as if it was melted silver.

"What's with the ground? I've never seen something like that before." Adam said. Machi grinned back over his shoulder at him, and Adam noticed the slightest amount of suspicion in his eyes.

"Cool, huh? It's made when a certain type of rock is hit with a Salamence's dragonbreath attack repeatedly over thousands of years. My mom did a thesis on it for college. She's a geologist. Anyways, the ground here is very slick, so watch your step. By the way, it's native to Meteor Falls alone. That's kinda why it's famous. C'mon, camp is down here." Machi said, pointing towards a small hole in the ground that Adam would've missed had Machi not pointed it out. He slipped down the hole after Machi, the slick walls making for a tight fit. Adam had to slide his backpack and rope in after him. When they popped out, Adam found himself in a tight hallway, with nowhere to turn but forwards. He sighed and stood up, slinging his backpack back on his back before looking up. About ten feet in front of him, the hall opened up into a cave, lit by a few torches and the glow of a Flygon's hyper beam. Machi stood next to it, glaring at Adam with murderous intent.

"Um." Adam said, not really shocked but still surprised by Machi's actions. He smiled nervously, looking at him in question. "What's with the Flygon?"

"You can drop the act. I know why you're here." He snarled. "Just tell me, and I might consider letting you go." Adam blinked in surprise. Was he expecting someone? What was going on? He shouldn't know he was being targeted by a hit man, though he may suspect it. Adam mentally chided himself for following Machi without any suspicion. But it may work to his advantage, in a way. Adam analyzed the situation carefully. Machi had led him forwards, rushing him along so that he was caught off guard. Not only that, he had led Adam into a situation where he had the advantage. So….

"Can it." Adam said, squaring his shoulders and setting his face in stone. "I don't know what's going on here, but that's no way to treat someone you just met. I thought you wanted to get back to camp before the Salamence arrived? If you really want, we could have a battle now, though." Adam reached behind his back, grabbing one of the pokeballs in the side pocket of his bag.

"Don't move." Machi said. "It would only take a small explosion to collapse the hall you are in without damaging the integrity of the cave." Adam ignored him and brought out a pokeball, letting Zangoose out in a flash of light. The mean-looking red and white Pokémon glared fiercely at Flygon and Machi, hissing. Machi seemed taken aback by Adam's bold actions, but remained on guard. "Recall your Zangoose. I don't want to hurt you." He said, his confident demeanor wavering. _Gotcha._

"No." Adam said flatly, taking a step forward along with Zangoose.

"Stay right there!" Machi nearly shouted.

"Oh, please. If I wanted to hurt you I would've done so already." Adam drawled, stepping out of the hallway and standing in front of Machi. Zangoose glared at Flygon, staring the dragon down despite his smaller size. It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's how badly the little dog can mess up the big dog before the little dog goes down. That summarizes Zangoose in a nutshell. "Now I don't know what's going on, or who you think I am, but if you threaten me again I will not hesitate to end you."

"Yeah, right. I'm a professional battler. Your Zangoose doesn't look like much at all. My Flygon is on par with an Eighth gym leader's Pokémon. Our-" Adam cut off Machi's self-esteem boosting speech by closing the eight foot gap between them in an instant, one hand resting on Machi's shoulder.

"I grew up in the Unovan war zone. Your puny threat doesn't scare me." Adam said. "I don't care if you're the Champion of Hoenn, I'll still beat you within an inch of your life. Sure, I may lose in the long run, but the question is what you're willing to lose. Because we're sure as heck not going to go down without taking a few of you with us. And if you want to turn this into a full out battle, that's fine. I'm just dying to find out how a Hoenn Salamence stacks up against a Unovan Hydriegon. Are you?" Machi's face was drained of all color, feeling the pressure in the cave very, very well and wondering just how he got himself in this situation. He'd planned perfectly, hadn't he? Adam's face showed how serious he was, a mixture of stone and anticipation, as if he actually looked forward to fighting.

"Flygon, halt." Machi said, trying hard to keep the trembling out of his voice. Flygon's attack faded, but it remained glaring at Adam and Zangoose, its gaze switching between the two constantly. Adam grinned, while Machi wondered just what exactly Adam could have experienced to make him like that. He'd heard of the horrors of the Unovan civil war, even photographed them a little, but still. Growing up in that is a completely different experience than just looking at it.

"What?" Adam asked, looking at Zangoose, who had crossed his arms and was glaring at Adam. "It's not my fault we got into this situation. He started it!" Zangoose raised an eyebrow and Adam groaned. "Yes, yes, I know, but still. It's not my fault! I thought this guy was being genuinely nice!" Zangoose let out a sound that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a growl. Adam sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah I guess you're right. We haven't run into many of those, have we? Guess I'm never going to change." At this Zangoose nodded and relaxed, seemingly satisfied with the way the conversation had gone.

"Um." Machi said, scratching the back of his neck. "Let's start over. I'm Machi Protz, travelling photographer." He said, extending a hand. Adam grinned wildly and shook it.

"Adam Jaeger, hit man." He said, and then laughed at his own comment. Machi didn't find it nearly as funny. "Nah, I'm just joshin' you. I own my own security company, I've actually dealt with people like that before. Kinda my specialty. Anyways, I wasn't joking when I said I wanted to see a live Salamence, so that's why I'm up here. I've heard they're pretty wild or something. Why are you up here?" Adam asked genuinely. He'd experienced Altaria, Flygons, Haxorus, Druddigon, Kingdras, and even Hydreigons, but not a Salamence. It was on his bucket list to meet one un-cordially.

"I'm trying to photograph the hatching of a wild Bagon for the first time in human history." Machi said. Adam grinned.

"So our interests sort of align." He said. Machi nodded, and gestured around the cave.

"It's not much, but this is my base camp. We've got a few more hours before the mother Salamence comes back with her egg. I'm positive she'll hatch it here. Her hatching chambers are on the very top of the mountain, out in the open. She's the biggest thing around, so nothing is going to bother her." Machi explained. "All records state that Salamence only breed around once every twenty years, and that's why they're so rare. I got lucky getting up here, finding her. They only appear here once to hatch an egg every three or four years, and only for a week or so at a time." Machi explained. Adam nodded.

"So we've got some time to kill." He said.

"Yep."

The next three hours were spent conversing. Machi showed Adam some of the pictures he'd taken, and Adam shared some stories about his body guarding career, not all of which were fabricated. He actually did dabble in body guarding from time to time. Helped with his cover. Machi laughed as Adam told him a joke, which was quickly interrupted by the roar of a Salamence. All four heads whipped up, staring at the ceiling.

"That's our cue. Flygon, return." Machi said, recalling Flygon. Adam stood up and dusted himself off, shouldering his bag, strapping the rope across his chest, and recalling Zangoose. Machi grabbed his camera and headed for the hall, pushing his way up the thin tube, Adam close on his heels. Machi poked his head out of the hole, spotting Salamence immediately. She was a hundred feet from the hole, curled around her egg defensively as it shook. Machi moved silently, army-crawling across the ground to a boulder eighty feet from her. It would hid Adam and Machi well, and allowed for some pretty good spots to take pictures from without being seen.

It took what seemed like eternity to reach the boulder, constantly having to stop for fear of the Salamence noticing them. Luckily she was too distracted by the moving of her egg to notice them. Eventually, the duo put their backs to the boulder, Machi completely calm and Adam giddy with excitement. He really wanted to see the Salamence get pissed. The question was how to do that, and kill Machi at the same time….

"I'm going to take some pictures, you stay still." Machi whispered, standing up slowly into a half-crouch and pulling out his camera. A piece of white paper was sticking out of his back pocket, and Adam quickly snatched it without Machi noticing. "Oh, thank Arceus! It's happening!" Machi whispered excitedly. Adam unfolded the piece of paper, examining the contents, and his excitement slowly fading.

"Well, that would've been nice to know sooner." Adam whispered, silently slipping it back into Machi's back pocket. Adam unwound the rope from his chest, winding it back around him in a makeshift harness before making a lasso at the other end. He then shortened it to the proper length before wrapping the excess around his waist and torso. Machi sat back down next to him, grinning at some pictures while Adam slowly unzipped his backpack. Machi glanced over the boulder again, and sighed, removing the SD card out of his camera, along with four others enclosed in a transparent case that he had stashed in his coat pocket. Quickly, he replaced the SD card with one that was blank, turning to Adam and handing him the cards.

"Here, take these. I'm going to get a closer look. This is too monumental not to. If anything happens to me, make sure these get to the press. Except this one. That one goes to the police." Machi said, indicating one that was marked with a big black X. Adam silently took it and put it inside his backpack. "Alright, I'll see you. Hopefully." Machi said, and started to get up. Adam stopped him, putting one arm across his chest.

"You know, you're an idiot." Adam said, his face and eyes cold. "You never blackmail these kinds of people. I'm the kind of person they send to kill you." Adam stood up and kicked Machi out into the open. "They wouldn't have known if you had kept your mouth shut!" And then came the roar, followed by a blue flame that burnt Machi to a crisp. Whoops, guess a Salamence killed him. Now he's ash. Giddyness returned to Adam, and he sank back down behind the boulder, sure that the Salamence had seen him. He threw out Zangoose and Combusken, who crouched behind the boulder with him as a blast of blue flames engulfed it.

"Sorry guys, I'm a mess." Adam said, unwinding his headphones and sticking them in his ears. "Just look at me, I'm shaking with excitement." It was true, Adam's hands were shaking, and Combusken gulped with fear as Salamence lumbered towards them, while Zangoose grinned in anticipation. Adam grinned and hit play, _Through the Fire and Flames_ by Dragonforce playing.

"Let's kill ourselves a dragon." And they leapt into action. Zangoose hurtled over the boulder with a screech of glee and fury, the trademark of his species, while Combusken leapt to the side, spewing fire as he went. Adam quickly reached into his bag, pulling out a 6 inch knife and a mountaineering ice axe, which he had brought on a whim. Salamence roared in fury, and Adam leapt over the boulder. Zangoose was a blur of white and red fury, scratching, biting, and clawing every inch of Salamence as he went, drawing blood in a few places and bouncing off in others. Luckily Salamence hadn't leapt into the sky yet. Combusken shot ember after ember at Salamence, not doing much but pissing her off with that, before leaping in and beating her with a succession of fighting type moves before leaping out of harm's way. Upon seeing Adam, Salamence roared and unleashed blue hell at Adam.

"_On a cold winter morning, in the time before the light, in the flames of death's eternal reign, we ride towards the fight." _

Adam leapt out of the way, landing in a roll before popping back up and racing towards Salamence. Another blast of blue hell was unleashed, this time at a close enough range for Adam to slide under, popping up right next to her jaw. With speed unnatural for a human, Adam slipped the rope around Salamence's neck and leapt out of the way of her snapping maw, all within the second time span he had between the fire ending and the snap. Salamence roared again, this time rewarded with an overheat directly down her throat. Zangoose cackled and leapt onto her neck, beating away at her head while Adam unwound the rope from his waist.

"_So now we fly ever free, we're free before the thunderstorm. On towards the wilderness, our quest carries on." _

"Let 'er go!" He yelled, running towards the edge. His two Pokémon halted their assault, prompting Salamence to lift into the air, flying straight towards Adam. He leapt over the edge as Salamence soared overhead, aiming to decapitate him with a steel wing.

Adam was jerked painfully as the rope caught him, dragging him along behind Salamence. He grunted with pain and looked up at the beast, flapping in the wind behind it. She was flying slowly, probably because her egg was still back on the plateau. Adam began to spill, wrapping the rope back around himself and coming closer and closer to Salamence's belly, where he could hopefully reach her wing. She still hadn't noticed him yet by the time he reached her belly. He pushed off of her leg, giving himself a good view of her beating wing. With a slash of the knife, he cut a tear in the leathery wing right where it met her body, throwing off her flight pattern. Salamence turned, careening towards the top of Meteor Falls again. Zangoose snorted and shook his head, watching as his psychotic trainer cut himself free of Salamence, tumbling onto the plateau just before Salamence crashed.

"_In your darkest dreams, see to believe, our destiny is time. And endlessly we'll all be free tonight!"_

"Well, don't just stand there! Let's finish her off before she has the chance to recuperate. An angry momma is nothing to trifle with, especially one backed into a corner. Let's go!" Adam hollered, already halfway to the rampaging dragon. Zangoose raced forwards, overtaking Adam in a flash, leaping at Salamence's throat and latching on as she thrashed on the ground, struggling to her feet. Fear and anger lanced through Salamence as it turned towards the insane human sprinting towards her, the gleaming steel claws held in each hand. Blue fire erupted for the last time from Salamence's mouth, only to be stopped by a sky uppercut from Combusken, effectively slamming her mouth shut. Adam leapt onto a boulder, spinning and flipping above Salamence's head. The axe flashed downwards, impaling itself in Salamence's eye. Adam's momentum brought her head to the ground as he yanked on the handle, the end firmly lodged in her skull. With a roar of pain, Salamence was brought to the ground, Zangoose still on her throat. _THUD. _Adam slammed his knife into the one deadly weak spot a Salamence's scales had; just below the skull and into the spine. With a flicker of blue fire from her maw, the life faded from Salamence's eyes. Adam stood, breathing hard and grinning like a maniac. Zangoose set to work on the teeth almost immediately, removing one with a slash of his claws and handing it to Adam. Combusken peeled off a scale and handed it to him.

"_Now here we stand with their blood on our hands, we fought so hard now can we understand? I'll break the seal of this curse if I possibly can, for freedom of every man!" _Adam paused the song and removed the earbuds.

"Well, that was fun." Adam said with a grin. He gingerly touched his right arm, feeling the blisters already welling up. "But I think I got a little burned. Oh well. Did you guys see that?! That felt so cool! You had better have a recording for me when I get back, because I am going to get so many hits on Youtube. I can see it now; _Deranged psychopath murders random dude and then proceeds to kill Salamence!_ I'll be the next sensation!" Adam laughed, addressing the clients undoubtedly watching his performance. "Now send someone to pick me up. I killed your dude, I got your file, and I sure as heck am not going to climb back down this thing. Besides, I have a heck of a mess to clean up."

**Insert Line break here.**

The chairman laughed as he watched Adam kill Machi and then Salamence for the fourth time, still getting a kick out of the guy's complete lack of reason and unique style. Most would've kill Machi outright and then searched the body. Adam did something…else. The way he talked and moved got people to trust him, even if they distrusted him at first.

"He's perfect." The chairman said. "Send a helicopter, and pay the man an extra 20K just for the show. Tell him he was exemplary and he'll have plenty of jobs in the future."

"_Yes, sir."_Alice said over the phone. The chairman said nothing more, simply hanging up and looking at the grizzled man cleaning his fingernails with a knife in the corner of the room. In the dark room, it was impossible to see his face.

"Hmph. He got lucky. That Salamence wasn't feelin' well; the scales were pale, breathing labored, movements sluggish, and if he'd run into a well one, he'd been roasted just from standing within ten feet of the dragonbreath. He better not get cocky. Now, do you have enough of 'em yet? I'm itchin' to get started." The man said. The chairman nodded.

"Yes. He completes our team of seven. Now we can officially begin our mission, slowly working our way to the final target." The chairman said, leaning forward and steepling his fingers with a grin. "I can't wait to see what they do."

**Hm. Rereading that I feel like it might be a little fast. Besides, this is a chapter just to set up for more plot-related chapters. Anyways, feel free to ask questions, and don't forget that you are awesome! Anyways, see you around! **

**Oh, and don't forget to review, point out anything that you think may be wrong with the chapter, or just tell me how awesome I am. Thanks and stay amazing!**


	4. Runnin' With the Devil

**IMPORTANT NOTE: The main character's name is Adam. Last chapter I messed up and said Alex instead. It's fixed now, but I figured I'd put that out there in case you didn't catch it. Sorry for any confusion that may have caused. **

**Once again, thank you all for the feedback. Thank you, Doggy129 for the OC, and a special thanks to RussianXRouletteXValentineXoXo for the OC of Blair Valentine. And this marks the beginning of the side-arc of the Valentines.**

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><p>"A more ruthless assassin you would ever have the misfortune to meet?" Alice said into the phone, casting a sidelong glance at Adam, who was sleeping peacefully on the couch in the plane. His brand-new baby Bagon was curled up on his chest. "Yeah right. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it." She said with a snort. The guy wasn't what a ruthless assassin was supposed to be; dark, brooding, and morally unrestrained. Adam was nothing like that. When they'd arrived on the top of the mountain, he had been cooing at the Bagon, playing with it and all but blubbering over it, all at the same time.<p>

"_Hahahaha, I know right?! But seriously, don't take this guy lightly. He did the Vermillion job." _Her informant said. He was the one who had pointed Adam out to her in the first place. Alice snorted.

"Yeah, and if I hadn't seen him take out that Salamence I wouldn't believe it. But my point still stands; he's unprofessional. He had a thousand chances to kill Machi and find the camera evidence, but instead he waited until the worst possible moment. The guy's a moron!" Alice exasperated. The informant chuckled.

"_Look, I know what you're getting at. I thought the same way too at first, but trust me, this guy's the real deal. Hell, I was the guy who got him into this business in the first place, and you know I don't take an interest in anyone unless they've got potential. Anyways, it's been nice chatting to you and all, but I've got to run. There's another call coming in that I've got to take. Oh! But before I go, a word of warning; don't let him get bored." _Click. Alice removed the phone from her ear and glared at it.

"Did you really-?" She asked. "You did. Jesus Christ. What is this, the movies? You don't just hang up after saying something like that." She muttered, sitting down in the chair across from Adam. The Bagon opened one eye to stare at her before closing it and going back to sleep. Alice sighed and shook her head, leaning back in her chair. It was another two hours before they reached Lilycove, and she might as well relax a bit.

* * *

><p>Adam stretched and yawned, rubbing his eyes and returning his new baby Bagon. He hadn't decided on a name for it yet, but he was thinking of something really awesome for a dragon. What's cooler than a dragon? Adam could only think of a legendary. Maybe he wouldn't name him, though…He hadn't really given any of his other Pokémon an official name. He sighed and stood up, exiting the luxury jet and walking down the steps onto the tarmac, where Leif and Alice were waiting for him.<p>

"Here is your payment." Alice said, holding out a black briefcase. Adam took it and shook her hand. "The total amount is 100K." Adam froze, and glanced down at the briefcase.

"I thought you said I was getting paid 80K?" He said.

"My superiors decided to bump you up another 20K for your work. Consider it a gift." Alice said. Adam shook his head, holding the briefcase out to hand it back to her.

"Sorry, but I can't accept that." He said flatly. Alice blinked in surprise, and Leif suppressed a grin. "Look, no disrespect, but I don't accept extra money. I did my job, no more, no less. I expect the amount in the contract, no more, no less." Adam said. Alice stared at him, and then shook her head, taking the briefcase back.

"Really? You're going to turn down money? Some mercenary you are." She said. Adam snorted and shrugged.

"I'm not a mercenary, I'm a hit man. There's a fundamental difference." He said. "And yes, I'm turning down money. It's not about the money, it's the principle." Alice unlocked the briefcase, removing 20K from it before handing it back to Adam. He accepted it with a grateful nod.

"We'll be contacting you again in two weeks with another job. My superiors like your antics, despite their irrationality." Alice said briskly, brushing past Adam and heading into the plane. Leif grinned at Adam, who grinned back, before following her into the plane. Adam shrugged and headed towards the small airport in the distance, where normal planes were landing on the public tarmacs. The private jet's engine's started behind him, nearly knocking him over with the force ejected from the back, and started to take off. Adam turned to watch them go, standing there silently until the plane was nothing but a glint in the sky.

"_Jesus, took you long enough." _Was the first thing Adam heard when he put the Bluetooth in his ear. He winced and frowned.

"Sorry." He said, heading towards the airport and rubbing the back of his neck.

"_You ok?" _She asked. Adam shrugged.

"I think I'm getting a headache. I need a nap. Sleeping on that plane was terrible." Adam grumbled. Janice was silent until Adam got to a side entrance to the massive airport, dodging planes and unhappy servicemen, not talking for fear of making his headache worse. Right now, it was nothing more than an unpleasant hum in his head, but it was still enough to make Janice worry.

"_Have you taken any aspirin yet?" _Janice asked.

"I'm going to get some right now." He said, slipping inside and hiding around a corner. A few men in orange vests went running by, presumably searching for him. He sighed and navigated the maze-like interior of the airport, eventually exiting through a service door and disappearing into the crowd of people swarming through the airport, much to the dismay of the security guards who appeared in the doorway not ten seconds after. He stepped onto an escalator that led up to the airport shops. Beside him stood a petite girl with raven hair that reached below her waist, who looked like she was trying to hide behind her black, broad-brimmed hat. Adam didn't give it a second thought, instead trying hard to suppress his growing headache. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh.

"Long day?" The girl asked. Adam shrugged.

"You could say that. Just got a headache. Didn't get much sleep on the plane." He said. The girl smiled gently at him, lighting up her crystal blue eyes. He could've sworn he knew her from somewhere, but quickly dismissed the thought.

"That sucks." She said. Adam shrugged.

"Eh. I'll get some aspirin soon." He said, stepping off the escalator.

"Drink something. That might help." She said, following him into the nearest shop and heading towards the magazine section. A depressed-looking clerk was the only one in the shop, giving them half a glance before going back to messing with the cash register. The store itself was filled with magazines and sunglasses, with a small refrigerator loaded with soda and water next to the register. Below the counter sat a small rack with various candy bars and a single bottle of aspirin. Adam grabbed it along with a bottle of water, heeding the girl's advice.

"Will that be all?" The clerk asked. Adam nodded, handing the man a ten, popping two aspirin, and washing it down by drinking half the bottle of water. He took the change back and headed back outside, silently thanking the girl for her advice. He felt better already. A hand landed on his shoulder as soon as he left the store, stopping Adam. He slowly turned around to glare at the security guard who had stopped him. The man was young, maybe four or five years older than Adam, with brown hair and a cocky grin. Adam didn't like him already.

"Don't touch me." He said, glaring at the guard and removing his Bluetooth, hanging up and ignoring Janice's pleas to not do anything irrational. The security guard, who was backed up with two other guards, remained oblivious to the obvious danger he was in, instead strengthening his grip on Adam's shoulder. Adam restrained himself from breaking the man's arm. That would be bad.

"I'm going to have to ask you to come with us." One of the other security guards asked, an elderly fellow. Adam remained glaring at the man whose hand was on his shoulder.

"Why." He said flatly. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me." Adam brushed the man's hand off his shoulder, and when the man moved to grab his arm, caught his hand and began squeezing. The man gasped in pain, and Adam quickly let go. "Don't. Touch. Me."

"Under suspicion of trespassing in restricted areas of the airport." Touchy-dude said, rubbing his hand ruefully.

"I haven't trespassed anywhere." Adam said. If he went with them that just meant more headaches, and that was something Adam wasn't willing to risk.

"Well, you may be right, but we need to make sure." The elderly fellow said. "If you can provide some second hand witnesses, then that'd be another story." Adam mentally sighed, knowing that he wouldn't end up getting out of this. Might as well go with it, though if they searched him, they might get suspicious as the 80K in his briefcase. Crud. Adam glanced apprehensively at his briefcase, and then went back to considering his options. He could run, but that would also be bad. He could…_No, you can't kill them, Adam. That's just the headache talking. _He chided himself. Too bad the aspirin hadn't kicked in yet.

"Of course you do." Adam muttered, scratching the back of his neck. His lie center was malfunctioning, thanks to the headache. If it was gone completely he could've probably talked his way out of it, but as it was, the headache was impairing his judgment.

"I can testify for him." A melodic voice rang out. Adam turned to see the girl from the escalator standing next to him, hands on her hips and hat off her head. Her black leather jacket and fingerless gloves made her look more intimidating than she actually was, being so small. The jacket was offset by her white jeans and brown, knee-length boots. Adam was even more certain that he knew her from somewhere now.

"Holy crap, it's Blair Valentine!" The third guard said. The name rang a bell, but Adam didn't quite place her, though she was obviously well known. Multiple heads swiveled towards her at the mention of her name, and a small crowd almost immediately began to form. The elderly gentleman squinted at her, and she smiled brightly, once again illuminating her features.

"I'm sorry, miss. Who are you and how do you know this man?" He asked. The two other security guards looked at him, appalled, but she just smiled and waved her hand.

"My name is Blair, and I'm an actress and stylist." She said. The name suddenly clicked in Adam's head, and he recognized her. She was a fairly famous actress turned fashion designer, ranking up there with names such as Elesa or Diantha, despite her youth. "And this man is my…" She faltered, and Adam picked up the slack.

"Bodyguard." He said, voice icy-cold. "And I would appreciate it if you refrained from blurting her name out loud." Blair showed no surprise, simply nodding and looking expectantly at the guards.

"We're very sorry for bothering you, Ms. Valentine." Touchy-dude said awkwardly. She smiled at him, and Adam stepped back, glancing around at the murmuring crowd.

"It's ok, I understand. You're just trying to do your job." She said with a small smile. Adam could sense the unease rippling through her at the crowd, which was still but a trickle of people. He nodded and snatched her hat from her hand, putting it back on top of her head.

"Yes, now let me do mine. Come on, we're getting out of here." Adam said, and ushered her out of the growing semi-circle, guiding her towards the door. She silently accepted this, allowing herself to be swept away by Adam. He didn't stop until they reached the concourse, safely away from pesky security guards and annoying crowds. Adam let out a sigh of relief and grinned at Blair, the aspirin having finally kicked in. "Thanks." He said. She smiled and shook her head.

"No problem." She said. "But really, a bodyguard? That's the best you could come up with?" Adam frowned, scratching the back of his head and kicking his dress shoe at the marble floor.

"What? That's my occupation." Adam said with a shrug. "I really am a professional bodyguard." She laughed and shook her head, almost causing her hat to fall off.

"Sure you are." She said.

"I am!" Adam said indignantly. She laughed and shook her head again, checking her watch.

"Oh, crap, I'm late. I'll, uh, see you later then." She said, concern growing on her face. "Thanks for protecting me." With a wink she rushed off, brushing against Adam and slipping a piece of paper into pocket. Adam pretended not to notice, instead turning to watch her run out of the airport. Eventually Adam couldn't bear the suspense any longer and took the slip of paper out of his pocket. Maybe it was a love letter? Or her number? She was cute, but Adam admitted she probably wasn't his type.

"_Meet me outside the Lilycove Department Store, 8:00 tonight. Potential job. Big $."_ Adam read. He frowned and shook his head, staring up at the ceiling. "Of course it's a job. Why wouldn't it be? No one is genuinely nice anymore. Besides me, of course." A small voice in his head disagreed, reminding him that he was a professional hit man. He pushed that thought down. Who needed that kind of logic? He was very kind, for a hit man.

* * *

><p>He arrived at his office an hour later, about four hours until eight. It wasn't much, just a two-room office on the third floor of a dinky office building in midtown Lilycove. He hadn't spoken to Janice since he hung up, having too much on his mind. First was wondering if Blair realized he was a hit man (undoubtedly), and second was why a nineteen-year-old star like her would want someone killed. Sure, you hate people, but thinking about doing something and actually doing it were two different things. Hiring a hit man took a lot of ambition and guts. Or stupidity. That happened a lot too. Third was what to do tomorrow. He was free tomorrow.<p>

"I'm back." He announced, opening the wooden door with a creak. Janice was already standing at the doorway, panic written all over her face. She nervously adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat, causing the bun of brown hair on her head to bob. Janice wasn't beautiful by any means, but she wasn't ugly either.

"You have company. Don't freak out." She said nervously. Adam felt it before he saw it. The chill up his spine. Impending danger. The laughter of the Devil himself. The vile whisperings of Giratina. _Family._ Or, more specifically, _Hilda. _

"Aaaaddddddaaaaaammmmmm!" She screeched, shoving Janice to the side and wrapping Adam in a rib-shattering hug. His look of pure helplessness and terror almost sent Janice into a fit of laughter as she picked herself up off of the floor. "It's been too long, brother! I've missed you! How have you been? How's Zangoose? How's work?" She said rapid-fire. Adam suppressed a sneeze as her long, poofy, brown hair went up his nose.

"Go…distract her." Adam wheezed, activating his anti-Hilda devices. His four Pokémon popped out of their pokeballs, Bagon crying as he did so. Hilda released Adam, who gulped for air, and immediately hurled herself at his Pokémon, who were more than happy to see her. Natu and Combusken cried happily as Hilda petted them on the head, showering them with compliments before turning her attention to the baby Bagon. Zangoose snorted and curled up in his favorite corner, about as interested as a Snorlax would be in a marathon. He was the only Pokémon Adam knew that didn't fall in love with Hilda at first sight. It was amazing, the effect she had on Pokémon.

"Sorry, she forced her way in. I told her not to come here, but she researched it and came anyways." Janice said quickly, glancing at Adam nervously. He smirked at the suddenly mild-mannered secretary, whose diamond earrings shone in the light. She was dressed like any other secretary would be, or at least as he expected them to be; with a blue business shirt and skirt on, and black high heels that made the top of her head even with Adam's.

"I took some aspirin." He said. Janice's demeanor visibly relaxed, and she went back to her usual talking.

"Well it's about f*****g time. I hate waiting in suspense. Tell me when you get rid of it next time, dumbass." She chided. Adam rubbed the inside of his ear.

"You're so vulgar." He said. Janice snorted.

"You're damn right I'm vulgar. I've got to cuss for the both of us, so can it." She sneered. Adam laughed and watched Hilda play with Bagon, tossing the baby in the air, causing him to squeal with glee. "I see you caught a Bagon." She noted.

"Yes. I'll show you the footage later. The client videotaped the whole thing. Anyways, here's the payment, so you can split it and deposit it." Adam said, handing her the briefcase. Upon opening it, Janice snorted.

"I'll never understand why you ask for cash. It's so much simpler to do it electronically." She said, closing the briefcase.

"Call me old-fashioned." Adam responded, carefully watching Hilda as she rolled on the ground with Combusken, Bagon put to the side for a moment. The little baby promptly jumped up on the green couch, curled in a ball, and fell asleep. Janice sighed and shook her head, walking back to her desk and going back to work. Adam wasn't sure what she actually did on there, he assumed she was playing games, but he never once caught her doing so. Not like it mattered, because it was lost on him anyways. Adam was the field agent for a reason. Janice handled tech support.

"So how's work?" Hilda asked for a few minutes, peeling Combusken off of her and standing up, brushing off her jeans. Adam had a flashback to when they were kids, back when his amazing older sister was going off on her journey in short-shorts, a white t-shirt, and a black vest, her Oshawott by her side. A lot has changed since then. They were both different people now, living in a different world.

"Pretty good. Just got back from a job near Meteor Falls. Some poor sap got roasted by a Salamence while my client was there, so he called it early." Adam half-lied. Hilda frowned.

"That's not good." She said. Adam nodded, and then shrugged.

"It's his own fault for pissing off a Salamence." Adam said. Hilda nodded and indicated Bagon, who was now being pestered by Combusken and Natu, the duo intent on investigating the newest member of the team. Bagon was none too happy about it.

"Is that where you got that little guy?" She asked. Adam grinned and nodded.

"Yeah." He said. "So why are you here?" Hilda frowned, crossing her arms and glaring at Adam.

"What? I can't just come to visit my little brother every once in a while?" She asked. Janice snorted, drawing the attention of both Adam and Hilda. She waved her hand in dismissal, going back to hacking into military installations or playing Space Invaders, whichever it was.

"There's always a catch." Adam muttered. Hilda frowned at him, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.

"Hey, I thought I told you to lighten up. Trust people more. I was in town and figured I'd stop by and catch up with my little bro, maybe have dinner or something. Because I just know how much you love to talk." She teased. Adam grinned and scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry, but I'm meeting with a client for dinner." He said flatly. "Not even joking, they pulled me aside at the airport and told me to come to dinner with them." Hilda sighed and hung her head, mocking depression. Adam just laughed. "Fine, I'll have dinner with you some other night. When do you leave town?" He asked. Hilda grinned, straightening up.

"I leave in three days. How's tomorrow?" She asked. Adam shrugged, straightening his jacket and sitting on the couch. Zangoose promptly moved from his corner to curl up on Adam's lap, the red and white devil purring contentedly. Adam grinned down at him, thinking back to when he had first received the obnoxious Pokémon. God, that was so long ago.

"Sounds good. Now, if you don't mind, I've got some work to do." Adam said. Hilda perked up at the word 'work,' checking her watch with a panicked expression.

"Oh crud, I'm late! See you Adam! I'll call you later to finalize the details." She yelled, running out the door. Adam watched her go, and let out a sigh of relief when she left. Why did he agree to dinner again? He scowled and shook his head. Hilda had always had that effect on people; they became so agreeable whenever she was around. Adam had long argued that it was her mysterious aura that helped her to bring down Plasma, not just her insane battling skills. Unfortunately, the battling genes were left out in Adam.

"She's as energetic as ever." Janice noted, continuing to type on her computer. Adam nodded in agreement, leaning back and staring at the ceiling.

"Yeah, she is. Return." Adam said, recalling his Pokémon into their respective black pokeballs. "Well, I'm going to head home and get cleaned up. I'm supposed to meet the client at eight." Janice's head shot up, staring at Adam.

"I thought you were joking." She said. Adam grinned and shook his head, standing up. "Who is it?"

"Blair Valentine. Almost every word I said was true. She really did pull me aside in the airport to give me a job." Adam said, making a break for the door. He waved as he left, smirking at Janice's shocked expression.

"Now hold on-" Janice was cut off as Adam slammed the door shut, sprinting down the hall to avoid the string of curses that would undoubtedly be sent flying his way. She was a fan of both her fashion designs and her movies. Messing with Janice was so much fun.

* * *

><p>Adam adjusted his tie, smoothing down his hair and making sure he looked presentable. Black suit? Check. Red tie? Check. Dress shoes? Check. Hair gelled into a stylish yet professional look? Check. M1911 hidden beneath jacket? Double check. Knife in his shoe? Checkaroo. Adam nodded, satisfied with his appearance, before glancing around his apartment. It was a five room apartment with a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room and dining room. He'd just recently moved in, having enough money after the Vermillion job, and wondered just how long he was going to stay in it. With the kind of money he would be making with his newest long-term client, he doubted it would be long. He'd probably buy a top-floor condo.<p>

Adam checked his Rolex; 7:30. Considering it only took fifteen minutes to get to the department store, he figured he was making good time. He liked arriving early; it showed what was professionalism in his mind. He walked to the front door, stepping over the pile of clean clothes he hadn't bothered to put away, and debated on which vehicle to take.

"Motorcycle or car….hmm….tough choice." Adam mused. His hand hovered over the key to his Kawasaki Ninja, but he instead chose the Mercedes. It was a fine car, and if she wanted to drive around while they talked about his work, then it would be better than the Kawasaki.

Fifteen minutes later he was sitting on a bench outside of the enormous department store Lilycove was famous for, checking his phone for any missed calls. Janice had called him 147 times since the office, and fifty six texts that basically said 'IF YOU'RE SERIOUS AND DON'T GET ME AN AUTOGRAPH, I WILL MURDER YOU.' Adam was genuinely scared. Janice was scary, and would undoubtedly kill him.

"You're early." A small voice said, sitting down next to him. The girl next to Adam was dressed nothing like the girl in the airport, with a blue and red baseball cap on, a red sweatshirt and blue sweatpants. Casual. Adam shrugged and cracked his neck.

"So are you." He countered. She frowned and began fidgeting with her pink handbag, which Adam found amusing. The colors seemed mismatched to him, but what did he know? All he wore was a black suit or whatever he happened to grab in the morning. He wasn't a fashion designer. "So what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Blair fidgeted nervously.

"I…uh…there's someone, er, actually a couple someone's that I want you to…uh….take care of." She whispered. "Is there somewhere else we can talk about this? I just wanted to meet you here…." Adam immediately began picking up on her apprehension, her nervousness in coming to him, and that she probably shouldn't have even stopped to talk to him, much less consider ordering a hit. Adam sighed and stood up, grabbing her by the arm and guiding her towards the parking lot.

"C'mon, we'll talk and drive." He said. Blair allowed herself to be guided to Adam's gleaming silver four-door Mercedes, which he started simply by pressing a button on the key. Technology never ceased to amaze him. Adam opened the passenger door, immediately recognizing the song that was playing; Runnin' with the Devil by Van Halen. How ironically fitting.

"_Least I don't need to beg or borrow. Yes, I'm living at a pace that kills. Runnin' with the devil, runnin' with the devil."_

"Shoot." Adam said, slipping into the driver's seat and buckling up. Blair nodded, thinking for a second before starting.

"Alright, so as you know I am a famous actress, and I'm also a rising star in fashion design and styling. I followed in my mother's footsteps to become an actress, even though she died a few years back. My mother's last words were 'be your own woman,' and I follow that. It's the thing that guides me every day of my life, it helps me make every decision. However, this doesn't bode well with my family, who are desperate to get me back into the family business. I have no desire to do…that." Adam doubted he needed the background story, but he let Blair continue anyways. It seemed to be doing wonders for her nerves. "B-but that's not the only thing. Being from a wealthy family, my father also wants to marry me off to a man I don't know in order to extend my father's empire. I absolutely refuse to do that."

"_Ain't got no love, no love you'd call real. Ain't got nobody waiting at home. Runnin' with the devil."_

"So after my father's begging and pleading for me to come back, along with all six of my brother's begging and pleading, they resorted to drastic measures. They've been sending men to bring me back by force. I've only barely managed to dodge them. I can't live like this anymore." Blair paused for a second, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, and collecting her thoughts. "So I want you to kill them. BUT, before you say yes or no, there's a few things you need to know.

"First would be that I will be paying you good money for this. One million up front, and one hundred million after the job's complete. I'll be inheriting the substantial family fortune once they're all gone, so a hundred million will be but pennies in my pocket." She said. Adam refrained from shooting himself in the hand to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "Second is that…well…my father doesn't run any ordinary business. He's a mafia leader, along with my six brothers. I need them all dead to be able to move on with my life." Blair looked completely determined now, completely free of her nervousness from before, but Adam decided to test her resolve.

"Are you sure?" He asked, pulling over to the side of the road. Blair nodded. "Family is family."

"They are no family of mine." She hissed, eyes narrowed. "They're bad people, they're what's wrong with this world. They've worked for and hired both Team Rocket, Galactic, and Flare. They deserve to die." Adam watched her closely, peering into her eyes with a small, but hidden, smirk. Just because they were blood related didn't make them family. "So? Are you in? I understand if you say no, they are mafia leaders." Adam closed his eyes, pretending to think. He'd already made up his mind. Killing mafia leaders? Sounds like fun.

"_You know I, I found the simple life, weren't so simple, no, when I jumped out on that road."_

"You're sure." He said finally. Blair nodded, and Adam grinned. "Alright I'll do it." Blair's face lit up.

"Ohmygod, thank you!" She said excitedly. Adam nodded, holding up a hand.

"You know what this means right?" He asked. Blair shook her head, and Adam grinned, waiting for the right moment. "From now on, this means you're…._Runnin' With the Devil_."

**And there we are; chapter 4. Hope you enjoyed!**

**P.S, sorry if you don't like cussing, but that's kind of real world. Just censor it like Adam if it matters that much to you, but I'm trying to keep it PG-13. Let me know if I go a little overboard. Thanks and stay amazing!**


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